Games & Puzzles

The learning guide “Discovering the Art of Mathematics: Games and Puzzles” empowers you, the explorer, to investigate connections between mathematical ideas and concepts and the structures and patterns found in games and puzzles. Pick up a Rubik's Cube and explore group theory while analyzing the powerful moves that you discover. Investigating puzzles like Sudoku, you will come to understand the intricate mathematical structure to allow you to create your own puzzles, and learn about deep connections to the mathematics of medical imaging. Inquiring into good moves and strong positions in connection games like "Hex" reveals mathematical patterns for your own strategies for being successful in this game. A seemingly simple game of piles can help you explore connections to how computers think.

Solving the Rubik’s cube was one of the main themes in my Mathematical Explorations class this semester. My students believed for most of the semester that they would never ever be able to solve the cube. Watching them overcome this belief was powerful for all of us. One of the main goals of my course is for students to change their beliefs about their mathematical abilities and to become more persistent, confident and creative in problem solving. And the Rubik's cube does just that.